Allow me to introduce today a great British singer, musician and songwriter born July 21, 1948 in London.

Cat Stevens:

Steven becomes Cat. The son of a Greek Cypriot restaurateur and a Swede, Steven Demetre Georgiou was born in July 1948 in London. As a child, he studies in a Catholic school. "I also studied Buddhism, Taoism, explains the artist. I know they all have the same source, "says, full of wisdom, the one who once advocated a rather radical Islam. Teenager, he plays piano and guitar and performs in bars with some success. This is where fans call him Cat for his cat eyes. And when a producer asks him to record his songs, he says, "My name is Steven, but my name is Cat. "It's a nickname that suits me, he admits again today. Like the cat, I am very independent. If they annoy me, I run away. "

An international star. Very prolific, Cat Stevens released several singles in 1967 and two albums in one year, in 1969 and 1970. A triumphal decade begins. From her passionate relationship with the actress Patti D'Arbanville will be born her two greatest hits: the love song "Lady d'Arbanville" and "Wild World". An inspired composer and lyricist ("Father and Son", "Peace Train", "Morning Has Broken"), a pacifist and everlasting eccentric, he becomes one of the idols of the hippie generation. Until a bathing accident occurs in 1975 in Malibu. He asks for God's help and is miraculously saved from drowning. His brother lends him a Koran and it is the click: in 1977, he converted to Islam, changed his name in 1978 for Yusuf Islam, sells his guitars for charity and opens a Koranic school in the suburbs. London